What is erythritol?
Erythritol is a monosaccharide polyol compound. It is a natural, safe, non-nutrient sugar alcohol, and one of the most common artificial sweeteners. Erythritol can form a white crystal free body or powder, with a slightly sweet taste. The sweetness is 60-70% of sucrose, and there is no odor. It forms colorless and non viscous solution after dissolving in water, and has endothermic effect when dissolving in water. The crystals melt at 122 ℃ to form a colorless, bright and non viscous melt. The heat is very low.Erythritol occurs naturally in some fruits (watermelons, pears, and grapes in minimal amounts), and in fungus-fermented foods.
Key Uses
Erythritol has had a history of safe use as a sweetener and flavor-enhancer in food and beverage products and is approved for use by government regulatory agencies in more than 60 countries.
Erythritol has no effect on blood sugar or blood insulin levels.
Erythritol is a common replacement for table sugar. It's found in many low-calorie and low-sugar products. It's also used to "bulk up" some other artificial sweeteners.
Safety
Erythritol has been scientifically studied for decades resulting in the World Health Organization (WHO) approving it for use in 1999 and the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approving erythritol for use in the United States in 2001 with a classification of “generally recognized as safe.” Erythritol is currently approved for use in human food and beverage in more than 50 countries, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union.